Cardeto Calvario Wastewater Treatment Plant, Gerace, Calabria, Italy

Cardeto Calvario is a wastewater treatment plant located in Gerace, within the province of Reggio Calabria in the Calabria region of southern Italy. The plant serves a population of approximately 1,000 people and operates with secondary treatment, which is the standard biological treatment required under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 1,500 m³/day and an actual discharge volume of 197.96 m³/day, the plant operates well below its capacity. Secondary treatment typically involves biological processes that reduce organic matter and suspended solids, ensuring effluent quality meets regulatory standards before discharge. The plant is situated within 10 km of the Ionian Sea coast, making its discharge potentially influential on coastal water quality. The treated effluent likely flows into local streams or directly into the sea, affecting the marine environment. The region's coastal waters support diverse aquatic life and are important for local tourism and fisheries.

The plant discharges into the Ionian Sea, a major basin of the Mediterranean Sea. The coastal waters near Gerace are part of a sensitive marine ecosystem that supports seagrass meadows and fish nurseries. Proper treatment is essential to prevent nutrient enrichment and protect water quality for recreational and ecological uses.